Of hoboken



ADA955688.

Patented-Aug. 22,1916.

7 $HEETSSHEET I.

W. .A. KILMER.

SEMI-ROTARY WIRE FABRIC MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. B. 1915.

7SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. A. KILMER.

I SEMI-ROTARY WIRE FABRIC MACHINE.

' v APPLICATION FILED MAR-8.1915.

1 1 95 3 Patented Aug. 22,1916.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W. A. KILMER,

SEMI-ROTARY WIRE FABRIC MACHINE.

APPUCATION FILED MAR. 8, 1915 a L Z W 1 Aw M M W. A. KIL s a OTARY WIRE r M NE.

LICATION FILED MAR. 8. 1

Patented Aug. Y$HEET$-$ EET w. A. KILMER. SEMI-ROTARY W l-RE FABRIC MACHINE.

APPucmloa f r-mn MAR. s, 1915. 1 1 Patented Aug; 22, 1916. I 7 SHEETS-SHEET s.

w. A, KILMER. SEMFROT-ARY WIRE FABRIC MACHINE.

APPLICAUON FH FD MAR. 8, S915.

PatentedAug. 22,1916.

7$HEETS-SHEET 7.

masses.

WILLIAM AUGUSTUS KILMER, OF DE KALIB, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR- TO THE AMERICAN camera STEEL -85 WIRE COMPANY OF NEW JERSEY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPURA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM A. KILMER, a citizenof the United States, and resident of De Kalb, in the county of Dekalb and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improi'ements in Semirotary ire-Fabric Machines, of which the follow ing is a specification.

My inventlon relates to wire fabrlc machines and has particular reference to a a wire fabric used for fencing and concrete reinforcement.

One of the principal ob ects 1n the construction of the present device is to eliminate the usual bobbins from which the wires composing the mesh have been taken.

In the present machine the wires composing the mesh may be directed into the machine from thereel. This accomplishes a large saving in time because'of the stoppages necessary to renew bobbins in the machines heretofore used.

. A further object is to provide a mecha nism which shall operate more rapidly and whi ch shall require less attention on the part of the operator.

A still further object is to provide a ma-- chine which shall be almost entirely automatic 1n character.

The invention will be more readily un' derstood by reference to the accompanylng drawings, wherein, V

Figure 1 1s a front elevatlon of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the drum carrying the twisters: Fig. 5 is a section on the line -55 of Fig. 4; F 1g. 6 1s a section on the l1ne 6--6 of Flg. 5; Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the .drum showing the means for rotating the twistersand maintaining them in proper i nterlocked with each other. wvlien thus assembled on the heads form a SEMIROTARY WIRE-FABRIC MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentedi Aug; 22 fl1ifi Application filed March 8, 1915. Serial No. 13,022. i

Referring more particularly to the drawlngs 1t will be seen that I provide frame members 20, wlthin which a shaft 21 is mounted, this shaft having tight, and loosepulleys 22. Power for operating the fabric forming mechanism is applied to this shaft. On the shaft 21' is bevel pinion 23, meshing with a bevel gear 24, on a suitable shaft 25. which shaft carries a worm 26. meshing with a worm gear 27, best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This worm gear is keyed to a shaft 28, upon whlch-the twister drum 29 is mounted.

This drum, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 6, may consist in the heads 30, to which the bars 31 are secured by means of screws or bolts 32. These bars may have engaging tongues and screws by which the same are These bars rigid structure by means of which a portion of the coiling is accomplished. Mounted between cross bars 33 are the reciprocating bars 34, as best shown in Figs. 5 and -9. A gear 36 engages the two bars and causes their reciprocation in unison but in oppositedirections. The coilers consist in a member having an upper squared portion 37 and a lower tubular portion 38. thememher being apertured to accommodate a stay wire in case one is desired at that pointin the fabric. The coilers'are; held in place at their upper ends by means of spacers These ,spacers are secured at their lower ends to cross bars 33." Located on opposite sides of the bar 37. and held in recesses in the reciprocating ba'r's'34. 35. are segmental twisters 39, 40. These segmental portions are shifted with the .bars 34. 35. and serve to form the mesh of the fabric. These bars are likewise apertured to accommodate the wire making up the mesh of the fabric. The

shifting of the bars 34. 35 is accomplished by means of the cams 41. 42. which contact rollers 43. carried onthe ends ofthe links or connecting rods 44. which rods are supported by means of the arms 45. Motion is impart-ed to the cams 41, 42, by the shaft 46, best-shown in'Fig. 2, on which shaft is mounted the gear 47, actuated by the pinion 48, on the shaft 49. This shaft 4-9 carries a bevel gear 50, which meshes with a similar gear 51 on the power shaft 21. A particular advantage results in the elimination of the segmental gears by means of WhlCh the 7 twisters are commonly operated. In my.

construction it will be noted that the twisters are merely segments, the rotation of the twisters being accomplished by means of f The twisting motion is imparted to the segmentabtwisters bymeans of the member 1'37, 38. Gear teeth 52 are formed near the 'lower end of the tube 38, and with these. I teeth bars 53, 54 engage'as best shown in f Figs. 10 and 11." These. bars are caused to reciprocate by means of the mechanism best ,n in'Figs. 8 and 10, which mechanism ides a support 55, within which a cross- 561s guided. This cross-head is re fl' ciproca't'ed by the pitman 57, which engages thegear 58, best shown in Figs. 1 and 10.

' This gear is mounted on a vertical shaft figs The cross head 56 carries a pair of paiyls 61 .62, which pawis engage notches 163 formed ,in' the upper edges of the bars 53, 54. Be-

59,- andis actuated by a pinion 60, which is frigid on the shaft49, best shown in Fig. 3.

.cause-ofthe gear teeth on the tubes 38, the

3 bars are caused. to travel in opposite directlons.

. thereof is pushed freeware in order to secure Therefcna. it will be seen that one the return of the opposed bar. The pawls are"--maintained in and out of engagement "with the notches by means of the arms 63,

' -64, which are actuated through the links 65, Y '66, connected through a rocker arm 67, the

links 65, 66 engaging opposite ends ofysaid "arm. This arm is oscillated by a connecting rod'68, movable by a cam 69 mounted 'on .a shaft 70, which shaft as best shown in 'Fig. 1, carries "a bevel gear 71, engagin a similar gear 72, on ashort vertical shaft 73. A gear 74 on this shaft is engaged by a pmiion 75, mounted on the shaft 59,as shown in Fig.3. It will be seen from the mechanism thus described that a portion of the coiling is done by the coilers shown in Figs.

5 and 9. This mechanism, however, performs only half of the coiling operation, the remainder of the coiling or twlstlng being "carried out in .the drum 29. The bar-s31 in Fig. 6. Extending longitudinally within bomposing this drum are provided with ra- "dial projections which are notched as at 76 the bars 31 are worm shafts 77, each of which is' provided with a plnion 78 on 1ts overhung end. Also rigld with the shafts a stop-block 79,.as best shown in Figs. 6

and 7. This stop-block acts to maintain the shafts in' proper position at different points in the travel of the drum. The squared faces 80 of the stop-blocks engage at certain points in their travel With-a fixed cam 81,

.within which two wires to be twisted are acuntil the gear teeth are discontinued, at 85. After-leaving the drum the fabric passes measles this cam being integral with or fixed to a mutilated gear 82, which gear has teeth only at the point of reduction in the cam. This} spindles 83. having gear teeth which engage the worm '77, and are rotated thereby. These splndles are provided with slots 84,

commodated, Thistwisting operation is continuous from the time the gear teeth 82 begin their engagement with the pinion 78,

between the pull-out rolls 86, 87, after which rt 1s sheared-at the proper point and reeled, all-of which mechanisms form the subject matter of co-pending application, Serial No.

13,023 filed ofeven date herewith and Letters Patent No. 1,158,505, of November 2,

The operation. of the machine is as follows: The fabric, such as intended to be woven by this machine, is shown in Fig. 12. It will be seen that I may provide'longitudinal stay wires 186, these being located as desired in the fabric. The arrangement of the machine is such that stay wires may be located distance apart equal to the width of onemeshif required. These stay wires are fed into the machine underneath a roller v187, and enter the lower ends of the tubes 38, passing upwardly therethrough, thence through the apertures in the bars 37. From this point the wireenters a notch in the bars'31, such notch being intermediate the notches 76, in which the twisting is accomplished. The wires 88, composing the mesh of the fabric, are also led into the machine under the roller 187, and pass upwardly alongside the tube 38,- thence through the apertures in the spindles 39, 40. At this point theimesh-of the fence is formed. It will be noted that as the twister spindles which include the parts 37, 39, e10, revolve, the two. wires which enter the apertures in the segments 39, 40 are wrapped around the spindle in one direction of rotation of the spindle. The wires are unwound in a subsequent reverse movement of-the spindle. By this means the two wires are first wound around the spindle and then unwound in the subsequent actuation thereof. 1 The operation'of'forming the mesh. and twisting .29, two wires lying'in thenotoh 84 in the twister wheel 83. The wires then travel at the same speed as that of the drum and as the drum reaches a point immediately folmenses gun, due to the engagement of the gear. 82

with the pinion 7 8'. This forms the twist 89, shown in Fig. 12, the two wires being grasped by the twister wheel and being twisted in opposite directions on each side of the wheel. The arrangement of the drawlugs is such that the wheel is given two complete turns, after which the cam 81 causes the blocks 79-t0 assume the correct position, whereby the notch 84 in the twister wheel will register. with the notch 76 in the bar 31. From this point the fabric is pulled out by the rolls 86, 87, and is sheared to proper length and reeled, all of which last-' named mechanism is described in my copending application and my patent, both hereinbefore referred to.

I claim:

1. In a wire fabric machine, the combination of wire weaving elements including a drum, a plurality of twisters mounted on said drum, a worm'shaft for actuating each of said twisters, means for. rotating said drum, and means for actuating said worm shafts, substantially" as described.

2. A wire fabric machine including a drum, a plurality pf twisters mounted in said drum, a worm gear for actuating said twisters, a worm shaft engaging said worm gear, means for rotating said drum and for actuating said worm shaft, substantially as described.

3. In a wire fabric machine, the combination of a drum, a plurality of notched bars mounted on said drum, a plurality of notched worm gears mounted in'said bars, a worm shaft for actuating said gears, means for rotating said drum, and means for actuating said shaft during rotation of the drum, substantially as described.

4. In a wire fabric machine, the combination of a twister spindle, including a fiat central portion and a pair of segmental side portions, each of which portions accommodates a wire, a gear fixed to said central portion, and rack-bars cooperatingwith said gear and adapted to cause the rotatlon of said twister spindle, substantially as described.

5. A twister spindle, including a hollow rod, a pinion fixed to said rod near its lower end, the upper end of said rod being squared segments at each side of said red at its up per end, and rack-bars engaging said pinion and adapted to cause rotation of said spindle, substantially as described.

. 6. In a wire abric machine, the combina tion of adrum a plurality of twisters carried by said drum, a worm shaft for actuating said twisters, a pinion carried by the end of said worm shaft, and a stationary mutilated gear with which said .pinion cooperates during a portion of the rotation of said ,drum, substantially as described.

7. In a wire fabricmachine', the combination of a. drum carrying a plurality of rows of twisters, a longitudinal'shaft for actuating a row of twisters, a'pinion mounted on the overhung end of said shaft, a stationary mutilated gear with which .said pinion cooperates during a portion :of a revolution. of said drum, a cam fixed with relation to said drum, and a cam block carried by said longitudinal shaft and adapted to cooperate with said cam to prevent rotation of said shaft except when said pinion is in engagementwith said mutilated gear,

substantially as described.

8. In a wire fabric machine, thecombination of? a drum carrying a plurality of rows of twisters, a single worm shaft for actuating each row of twisters, a pinion mounted on the overhung end of said shaft, a fixed'gear with which said pinion cooperates during a part of a revolution of said drum, and cam means preventing rotation of said shaft during the remainder of the revolution of said drum, substantially as described.

Signed at De Kalb, Illinois, this 25th day of February, 1915.

Witnesses:

F. S. LUNnY, J. A. RoBmsoN. 

